Letter in support of legislation to reform the Scaffold Law

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo                                          Honorable Jeffrey D. Klein
Governor of New York State                                                     New York State Senate
NYS State Capitol Building                                                       Legislative Office Building, Room 913
Albany, NY 12224                                                                         Albany, NY 12247

Honorable Sheldon Silver, Speaker                                       Honorable Dean Skelos
NYS Assembly                                                                              New York State Senate
Legislative Office Building, Room 932                                   Legislative Office Building, Room 909     
Albany, NY 12248                                                                         Albany, NY 12247

Dear Governor Cuomo, Majority Coalition Leader Skelos, Majority Coalition Leader Klein and Speaker Silver:

We are writing in support of S.111 and A.3104; legislation intended to reform the "Scaffold Law." The current law imposes a standard of absolute liability upon contractors and property owners for all "gravity related" injuries. The proposed legislation would replace the absolute liability standard with the fairer comparative negligence standard only in situations where a worker''s injury is found to have been caused by that worker's failure to follow safety training or use available safety devices, intoxication, or commission of a crime. Meanwhile, negligent employers will still be held fully liable and the injured worker may still collect workers'' compensation benefits.

While New York State is now on track in enacting policies and legislation to create a better business climate, more mandate relief such as modifying the "Scaffold Law" is needed in order to continue to grow the economy and create jobs. In fact, New York is the only state which retains this antiquated law from early in the last century. Thus, insurance costs for construction projects in New York are higher than anywhere else in the country and many small companies cannot afford policies. Reducing these costs would allow businesses to grow, spurring job creation and investment.

 In addition to construction companies, high insurance costs also impact businesses and consumers that pay more to build commercial and residential projects, and our local governments and taxpayers that are forced to pay more for public infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges. Municipalities also bear the cost of judgments and settlements when they are sued under the "Scaffold Law."

Passage of S.111/A.3104 would result in reduced insurance costs, lower construction costs and higher job growth while doing nothing to impinge upon the workplace safeguards that have been established since the original passage of the "Scaffold Law." If we can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you.

Sincerely,
                                                
Kevin S. Law                                                                       Desmond Ryan                        
President & CEO                                                               Executive Director                    
LIA                                                                                         ABLI                                            

Mitch Pally                                                                           Marc Herbst
CEO                                                                                      Executive Director
LIBI                                                                                        LICA

cc: Senator John Bonacic, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee
      Senator Patrick Gallivan
      Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein, Chair of the Assembly Judiciary Committee
      Assemblyman Joseph Morelle
      Long Island State Senate and State Assembly Delegation